Overhead-trolley system.



No. 627,495. Patented June 27, I899.

E. FRISCHMUTH.

OVERHEAD TROLLEY SYSTEM.

(Application filed Feb. 17, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES P TENT OFFICE;

EMMERICI-I FRISCHMUTH, BERLIN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SIEMENS & HALSKEELECTRIC COMPANY OF AMERICA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

OVERHEAD-TROLLEY SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 627,495, dated June 27,1899.

Application filed February 17, 1899. Serial No. 705,799. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: with two trolley-arms, one of which prefer-Beit known thatLEMMERIoH FrnscHMUTH, ably carries the well-knowncontact-wheel a subject of the German Emperor, residing at and the othera contact shoe or brush, which' Berlin, Germany, have inventedacertainnew are adapted, respectively, to engage the two and useful Improvementin Current-Supply conductors extending in different planes. Apparatusfor Electrically-Propelled Vehi- The accompanying drawing illustratesthis cles, (Case No. 185,) of which the following is construction, thesame indicating two intera full, clear, concise, and exact description.secting lines of electric railway, upon one of My invention relates toimprovements in which a car equipped with two trolley contact tocurrent-supply apparatus for electrically-proarms is about to pass thecrossing. 6o pelled vehicles, and has for its object the pro- Upon thecar a are mounted two trolleyvision of means for furnishing to a movingarms b c, the former being provided with a car or vehicle its propellingcurrent without diagonally-extending contact-shoe b and the involvingany material interruption in the latter with the ordinary form oftrolley-wheel 15 circuit at crossings and switches and avoid 0. Thesetrolley-armsare of different lengths, ing, as well, the danger ofconnecting lines of being adapted to be forced into engagement unlikepolarity. with the corresponding trolley-conductors d e In practice ithas been found extremely or d e, which are connected with differentdiflicult to effect a crossing for trolley-lines poles of thedynamo-electric machine supply- 2:) Where conductors of difierentpotential intering power to the system. This dynamo may, sect, and withthe apparatus employed frefor example, be a direct-currentmachine, inquent displacement of the trolley contactwhich instance dwouldbeconnectedwith the arms is liable to occur, thereby interrupting positiveand c with the negative terminal of the operating-current. Practicallythe same the dynamo; or, again, said dynamo-electric 25 problems arealso met with at points along machine may be of the multiphase type, inan electric railway at which switches are emwhich case the rails f wouldbe utilized as a ployed. By employing the apparatus herein thirdconductor. The trolley-conductors (2 described, constructed inaccordance-with my and e are carried upon insulating-supports invention,I am enabled not only to provide in the usual manner to one side and ina 0 a satisfactory crossing for trolley-conductors plane above that ofthe trolley-conductors carrying different potentials, but in addition 01d. At the intersections supporting-arches the car issupplied practicallywith an ung are provided, which carry the conductors interrupted currentand the crossing is not 6 or e by means of insulating-supports g, liableto displace the trolley-arms from their while the conductors d or d areconnected 35 position of engagement with the snpply-conwith and openbeneath the arches to permit ductors. the passage of the trolley armsand wheels I may briefly describe the current-supply c c. The crossingshown in the drawing is apparatus shown in the annexed drawing, in madeat an acute angle, and the ends of the connection with which I willexplain my inconductors d d beneath the arches are bent 4o vention asconsisting of intersecting trolleyin opposite directions parallel to theconduco conductors which are disposed in diiferent tors e or e, thusinsuring the continued enplanes along the length of track, according togagement of the contact-shoe b at the point the potential carried. Theconductors lying of intersection, since it will be seen that the in thelower plane are broken at the points of said shoe will come intoengagement with the 45 intersection and maintained in their relativereceiving end 01 of conductor (1 before it is positions by' means ofinsulating arches disengaged from the portion 61 upon the opadapted topermit the passage of the trolley- ,posite side of the arch g. Thearches are cararm when in engagement with the conductors ried bysupporting-wires g in the usual manof opposite polarity. The car orvehicle operner. In constructing the apparatus the trol- 50 ated by thesysteminquestion is provided ley-arm b is preferably made of such lengththat it will not come into contact with the conductors e or 6 when in avertical position. Especially is this desirable at crossings orswitches, and the height at which the trolleyconductors are carried atthese points preferably is sufiicient to insure this result.

It will be seen from the above description that there is no tendency forthe trolley-wheel c to become disengaged from its correspondingconductor, since the arches g readily permit its passage, and the uppertrolley-conductors are carried over the crossing in the usual manner. Byreason of providing upon the trolley-arm Z) the diagonally-extendingcontact-shoe b it will be seen that at all acuteangled crossings thecircuit will not be interrupted, since the contact shoe is of suchlength as to prevent any disengagement from its correspondingtrolley-conductor, and at the intersections the receiving end of thetrolley-conductor beneath the arch will be engaged by said contact-shoeprevious to its disengagement from the other end. It is also apparentthat by duplicating the contactshoes 1) upon trolley-arm b andseparating them by the width of the arch, or more, the circuit will beconstantly maintained, even at crossings where the tracks meet at rightangles to each other, or, if desired, the simpler apparatus herein shownmay be employed, since it is not necessary that the angles at which thetracks and trolley-wires, respectively, meet shall be equal.

By employing the arrangement of apparatus of my invention it will beseen that the likelihood of disconnecting a car from the power-supplycircuit at points of intersection with other lines isreduced to aminimum, and, moreover, there is no opportunity for accidentally causinga short circuit between conductors of different potential.

It will be understood that modifications of the apparatushereinspecifically shown and described may be made without departingfrom the spirit of my invention, and

I therefore claim, and desire to secure by these Letters Patent, thefollowing: I

1. In a system of electrical distribution, the combination with atrolley-conductor connected with the source of electrical current, of asupporting device 1 beneath which the said trolley-conductor is opened,a trolley-arm provided upon a car or vehicle operated by the saidsystem, and a contact-making appliance mounted upon the trolley-armadapted continuousl y to engage the trolley-conductor, the saidconductor being provided with laterallyextending terminals or parts atthe supporting device, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the trolley-conductor d, of the supporting-archg beneath which the said trolley-conductor is opened and its ends d dlaterally extended, of a contact device I) carried upon a moving car orvehicle operated by current from the conductor d, the said contactdevice being adapted to maintain continuous contact with the conductor01, substantially as described.

3. In a system of electrical traction, the combination with intersectingtrolley-conductors disposed in diiferent planes according to theirpolarity, of supporting-arches g beneath which the conductors of onepolarity are maintained open or discontinuous, and trolley-arms b 0provided upon a car or vehicle operated by the said system, thesaidtrolleyarms respectively carrying contact-making parts adapted tomaintain continuous engagement with their respective trolley-conductors,substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The combination with intersecting couductors d d and e e of dilferentpolarity, of supporting-arches g beneath which the said conductors d andd are maintained open, and trolley-arms b a carrying contact partsadapted to maintain continuous engagement with the respective conductors(Z and e or d and e, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The herein-described means for continuously supplying current to amoving car or vehicle consisting of a trolley-conductor (1 connectedwith a source of electrical energy, of a supporting-arch g disposed atan intersection or switch, beneath which arch the said trolley-conductoris discontinuous and at which the ends of said conductor are laterallyextended, a diagonally-disposed contact part b carried upon the movingcar or vehiroo cle, the same being adapted continuously to engage theconductor d and to supply current to the propelling-motorprovided uponthe car, substantially as described.

6. Inasystem of electrical distribution, the combination withintersecting conductors d e, of a supporting-arch g beneath whichconductor d is maintained .open, a tro1ley arm b,

and a contact part I) provided thereon, the said conductor (1' beingprovided with angu- 11o larly-extending terminals d d beneath the arch 9adapted to maintain continuous electrical connection with contact partb.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 25th day ofJanuary, A. D. 1899.

EMMERICH FRISCIIMUTII.

Witnesses:

WALDEMAR IIAUPT, HENRY lIAsPER.

